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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25307452">Finding Out</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbuckmeggie/pseuds/starbuckmeggie'>starbuckmeggie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Santos Administration, finding out, post vacation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:46:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,068</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25307452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbuckmeggie/pseuds/starbuckmeggie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Josh returns from vacation, Sam is in for a revelation</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Josh Lyman/Donna Moss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>169</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Finding Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We are knee-deep in paperwork. This is what I’ve felt like since I arrived from California a little over a week ago. Besides going through all the information needed to help make it through this transition, I’ve spent a fair amount of time sifting through everything else Josh has on his plate and doling it out to the rest of the staff, amazed at the sheer volume of information that Josh didn’t think anyone else could handle.</p><p>Typical Josh, really. I know that as Deputy Chief Of Staff, he had to handle a lot, mostly trying to pare down what Leo needed to know versus what could be handled on a lower level, so he’s used to weeding through a lot of information. I also know that for a while on the Santos campaign, Josh handled just about every aspect of it until they could afford to hire staff to take some of it off his plate.</p><p>I’m sure he’s protective of the work he’s doing, and he knows that he can rely on himself to take care of it, so I’m sure that’s where a lot of this comes from. However, over the course of the last week, I’ve come across oodles of information that he would have considered below Donna’s level when she first started with the campaign, so I think it’s safe to say he has a problem.</p><p>Since he got in this morning, in between actual meetings and vetting sessions and Donna running in to give me a quick hug and make me promise to meet up for dinner tonight, Josh and I have been going through the various piles of work I created in his absence to get his final approval on where everything should go. The vacation must have helped because he’s been very easy to deal with all day. I expected more of a fight for a lot of things but for the most part, he’s been agreeable to just about everything I’ve thrown at him.</p><p>I’m hoping to convince him to join me and Donna for dinner so I can get some details about his vacation. He’s tan so I’m assuming he did in fact lie on a beach somewhere but other than that, he hasn’t had much to say about it.</p><p>There’s a tap at the door and we both look up as Donna sticks her head in the office, and I can’t help but smile at the sight of her. It’s an absolute shame that I’ve been here for a week and I haven’t seen her before today, though I’ve heard rumors that she’s going to be working for the incoming First Lady, so she’s probably been spending a lot of time with her. I blame it on Josh and the amount of work he’s piled on himself.</p><p>“You two about ready?”</p><p>I glance over at Josh, sighing when I see him standing yet again. He’s been a ball of energy all day, constantly pacing around the small office, standing at his desk as he flips through files, nearly strangling himself with the phone cord as he makes yet another lap. I thought if I could get him to sit down, he might be able to get more accomplished. I still believe it’s a sound theory.</p><p>I am surprised to see that he pauses at the sound of her voice, his eyebrows lifting as he smiles. “Hey.”</p><p>“Hey yourself.”</p><p>“Wait,” I say, connecting the dots. “You’re coming to dinner with me and Donna?”</p><p>Josh gives me an odd look, almost as if he’s wondering who let me out unsupervised. “Yeah…”</p><p>“Well, that’s great! It’ll be nice for all of us to catch up with each other.”</p><p>Josh’s forehead furrows even more. “Okay…” He looks up at Donna again. “What time is it?”</p><p>She sighs good-naturedly. “It’s after seven, though I would <em>swear</em> you have a watch that tells the time.”</p><p>He makes his way around the desk to the door. “Maybe another half an hour? We’ll get everything wrapped up by then. You wanna go ahead to the restaurant?”</p><p>She grins from ear to ear. “Sure, but you have only yourself to blame if I’m drunk by the time you show up.”</p><p>“Duly noted.” His hand reaches out and lands on her waist. They lean in at the same time, their lips meeting in a brief but somehow lingering kiss before pulling away. My mouth drops open. Donna reaches up and wipes Josh’s lower lip. “See you soon,” he all but whispers.</p><p>“You better,” she answers, making a move to step away. “Love you.”</p><p>I start to choke. What the hell just happened? <em>What the hell just happened?</em> “What the hell just happened?” I manage to gasp, still not sure what I just saw.</p><p>Donna quickly returns to the doorway, the two of them staring at me in concern. “Sam, are you all right?”</p><p>“Did you just…did you just <em>kiss</em> each other?”</p><p>Donna smacks Josh’s arm. “You didn’t tell him?”</p><p>Josh pouts as he rubs the sore spot. “Well, what am I supposed to say? We’re not a couple of teenage girls—”</p><p>“Don’t finish that thought.”</p><p>Josh shuts his mouth, and the dots finish connecting in my head. The smile that’s been at the corner of Josh’s mouth all day. Donna’s slightly less pale complexion and hair that looks sun-bleached. The two of them showing up at work together this morning. Josh not being the first person in the office today despite not having been at work for a week. The assumption that we’re all going to dinner together.</p><p>I want to speak. I want to ask questions. I want to know how long this has been going on, and I want to know why I’m just finding out about it now. I want to jump up and down for them.</p><p>All I can do is gape and try to stop my sputtering.</p><p>Donna looks at me in sympathy, but I swear a smile is tugging at her lips. “I’m going to go. I’ll see you there.” She looks for a moment as if she’s going to give Josh another kiss but opts to squeeze his hand instead before disappearing into the bullpen.</p><p>Josh turns back to me—the bastard is actually smirking. If I wasn’t so thunderstruck, I might have a few choice words for him right now.</p><p>“So, I had some company on my vacation.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I need a little happy right now, so I thought I’d post this tiny fic I wrote a few months ago from a prompt. It’s not much or great, but I don’t mind it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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